Alex Okafor, DE

04/25/2013 - ROB RANG'S FINAL 2013 NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD: 44. Alex Okafor, DE, Texas: Due to his time inside at defensive tackle, Okafor uses his hands very well and proved a better than advertised overall athlete at his March 26 Pro Day. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com

04/24/2013 - 2013 NFL DRAFT RANG'S GANG: DE: Alex Okafor, Texas, 6-5, 264, 4.92...A buddy of mine who coaches basketball complains often about the lack of fundamentals in today's players. Everyone wants to dunk but few can shoot free throws with any regularity. Perhaps due to the fact that Okafor played defensive tackle as a sophomore, he's developed impressive hand technique, a trait I don't often see in collegiate pass rushers. His lack of top-notch athleticism could push him into the second round, but he's more pro-ready than many of the defensive ends who'll be selected ahead of him. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com

03/29/2013 - 2013 Texas Pro Day: Defensive end Alex Okafor didn't work out at the combine due to a right hip injury and produced mediocre results during agility drills on Tuesday. He ran his 40-yard dash times at 4.89 and 4.92 seconds with a 36-inch vertical, 9-foot-4 broad jump and a 4.39 second short shuttle. Okafor worked out as a defensive end and linebacker, but projects best with his hand on the ground in a 4-3 scheme. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com

03/29/2013 - 2013 Texas Pro Day: Alex Okafor, DE (6-4 3/4, 262) - Okafor - who did not run at the combine - ran the 40 in 4.88 and 4.89 seconds. He had a 36-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-4 broad jump. He also had a 4.40-second short shuttle time. Okafor is the fifth-rated 4-3 defensive end in Mayock's positional rankings. - Gil Brandt, NFL.com

03/01/2013 - 2013 NFL PRO DAY DATES TO REMEMBER: March 26 - Notre Dame, Texas...In Austin, defensive end Alex Okafor was sidelined during the combine due to an injury he suffered in the Senior Bowl. However, Okafor confirmed he will work out at the Longhorns' pro day. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com

02/23/2013 - Texas defensive end Alex Okafor left the Senior Bowl with compliments from scouts but also a bruised hip flexor which will keep him from working out at the combine. Okafor characterized the injury as "not serious but taking longer than I'd like to heal fully." He said he'd rather wait, give himself the opportunity to fully heal and work out at Texas' Pro Day March 26.

The injury robs Okafor of the opportunity to build upon the momentum he'd created with 4.5 sacks against Oregon State in the Alamo Bowl and an impressive week of practice (and game, itself) in Mobile. Okafor, a First Team All Big 12 choice the past two seasons, led the conference with an average of .96 sacks a game as a senior.

Okafor said that scouts told him he'd shown "more explosiveness" in Mobile than some had previously given him credit. He was one of the few pass rushers to give Central Michigan left tackle Eric Fisher problems, demonstrating not only impressive burst upfield but his trademark heavy, active hands to keep blockers off of him.

Primarily used as a traditional defensive end in Texas 4-3 scheme, Okafor has flashed the athleticism and awareness to handle converting to a stand-up outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme, something he said teams have spoken to him about in Indianapolis. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com

01/24/2013 - 2013 SENIOR BOWL, WEDNESDAY RISER: DE Alex Okafor, Texas (North Team)...While UCLA's Datone Jones is the pass rusher who has created the most buzz, Okafor isn't too far behind, getting the best of Central Michigan left tackle Eric Fisher on several occasions this week. Okafor lacks quick-twitch burst and isn't a speed rusher, but he understands how to use his hands and limbs to grip and rip past blockers. On Wednesday, he got into the body of Fisher, who is arguably the best prospect in Mobile, several times and drove him backward, using his natural strength and hand placement to jolt the left tackle. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com

While Zimmer acknowledged that he was seeing many of these players for the first time this week, the highly regarded assistant coach fielded a unit that registered 51 sacks in 2012, second behind the Denver Broncos and St. Louis Rams, who tied with 52 quarterback takedowns.

Okafor, who measured in at 6-4 (and 5/8) and 261 pounds on Monday, appears to be slightly leaner than he was while at Texas, where he registered 18 tackles for loss, including 12.5 sacks. Operating at right defensive end against Fisher and Syracuse's Justin Pugh, he was consistently able to get pass blockers turned, showing enough flexibility to dip under their reach and turn the corner to close on the quarterback. While leaner, Okafor hasn't lost his trademark hand usage, alternately chopping away at his opponents' attempts to get their hands on his chest or using an effective arm-over swim move to slip by them. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com

12/29/2012 - Scouting the Texas run defense: The less said about the run defense, the better. The Longhorns are among the bottom 20 teams in the country in rushing defense, and that might belie how bad this team really is. It tends to wear down late in games, and the defensive line has an unfortunate habit of being blown of the line or overpursuing the play. When the Longhorns have been successful against the run, it has tended to be because it goes all-in on the defensive front and leaves itself vulnerable to the pass. - The Sports Xchange

12/29/2012 - Just when it looked like Oregon State was going to storm into Texas and thump the mighty Longhorns, Texas swallowed up the Beavers. Texas defensive end Alex Okafor led the charge as the Longhorns' defensive front flipped the script of the Valero Alamo Bowl. Okafor and company continually sacked Oregon State quarterback Cody Vaz, keeping the Beavers from pulling away and giving the Texas offense the chance it needed to find its rhythm.

Texas quarterback David Ash hit Marquise Goodwin for a 36-yard touchdown with 2:24 left, pushing the Longhorns over the top in a 31-27 victory Saturday at The Alamodome. Ash struggled through the first three quarters, completing 12 of 22 for 95 yards and giving up an interception. But he led Texas (9-4) as it came back from 10 down in the fourth quarter.

Ash avoided pressure from Oregon State safety Anthony Watkins and tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Johnathan Gray to ignite the Texas offense in the fourth quarter. Ash finished with 241 passing yards. But it was Okafor and the Texas defensive front that really sparked Texas. Okafor finished with 4.5 sacks. - The Sports Xchange

12/10/2012 - 2012 ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM (COACHES): DL Alex Okafor, Texas, Sr., Pflugerville, Texas/Pflugerville, has been selected First Team All-Big 12 Conference (Coaches selection) for the 2012 college football season. Okafor ranks tied for fourth in the Big 12 in forced fumbles (0.25 per game), third in sacks (0.67 pg) and tied for fifth in tackles for loss (0.96 pg). - Mack Brown Texas football

12/10/2012 - 2012 ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM (MEDIA): Defensive line: Alex Okafor, Texas, 6-4, 265, Sr., Pflugerville, Texas, has been selected First Team All-Big 12 Conference (Media selection) for the 2012 college football season. Okafor ranks tied for fourth in the Big 12 in forced fumbles (0.25 per game), third in sacks (0.67 pg) and tied for fifth in tackles for loss (0.96 pg). - Mack Brown Texas football

11/29/2012 - BIG 12: NFL DRAFT PROSPECT WATCH - WEEK 13: 3. DE Alex Okafor, 6-5, 265, Texas: Why he has the third spot: Okafor left last Thursday's loss against TCU on the first series with an ankle injury. That should not set him too far back in terms of the NFL Draft, but there's a change he will not play again until the Longhorns' bowl game. He did manage to get a QB hurry before he left the game.

11/22/2012 - BIG 12: NFL DRAFT PROSPECT WATCH - WEEK 12: 1. DE Alex Okafor, 6-5, 265, Texas: Why he has the first spot: The Longhorns had Saturday off, meaning the league's top pass rusher had the chance to rest up before a Thanksgiving matchup against TCU. He has proven almost impossible for opponents to stop -- even without star teammate Jackson Jeffcoat to draw attention on the other side of the line since Jeffcoat's season-ending injury several weeks ago.

Season stats (10 games): 60 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 17 quarterback hurries, 3 forced fumbles, 1 blocked kick. Player ranking: Okafor is ranked No. 23 overall and is rated as the fourth-best defensive end in CBSSports.com's latest player rankings. Up next: Okafor should have a chance to shine on Thanksgiving night against TCU, which allows 2.2 sacks per game -- 83rd in the country in that statistic. - Patrick Southern, CBSSports.com

11/22/2012 - THIS WEEK'S GAME: Texas Christian at Texas, Nov. 22 -- Welcome to the Big 12, TCU. Texas has won the last four games in the series, but the schools have played just once since 1996, a 34-13 Longhorns win in 2007. KEYS TO THE GAME: The Texas Christian defense is excellent, but if Texas can move the ball and get points early, it will put pressure on TCU's quarterback and help keep this year's Thanksgiving game from coming down to a last-minute field goal, like last year's win over Texas A&M.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: DE Alex Okafor is coming off a game against Iowa State when he led the team with nine tackles and had two behind the line of scrimmage. He can make the secondary's job a lot easier by getting pressure on TCU's freshman quarterback. - The Sports Xchange

11/14/2012 - BIG 12: NFL DRAFT PROSPECT WATCH - WEEK 11: 1. DE Alex Okafor, 6-5, 265, Texas: Why he has the first spot: Okafor continues to put up big numbers without fellow draft prospect Jackson Jeffcoat on the other side. He had a team-best nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss and was in on a sack against Iowa State. His consistency each week has to impress scouts. Season stats (nine games): 60 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hurries, 3 forced fumbles, 1 blocked kick. Player ranking: Okafor is ranked No. 22 overall and is rated as the fourth-best defensive end in CBSSports.com's latest player rankings. Up next: Texas plays TCU on Thanksgiving Day and Okafor will face a line that is coming off its worst outing of the year. The Horned Frogs allowed six sacks in their loss on Saturday to Kansas State. - C.J. Moore, CBSSports.com

11/07/2012 - BIG 12: NFL DRAFT PROSPECT WATCH - WEEK 10: 2. DE Alex Okafor, 6-5, 265, Texas: Why he has the second spot: Even without the help of DE Jackson Jeffcoat, who saw his season end early due to injury, Okafor is still wreaking havoc. He again got to the quarterback last week against Texas Tech, getting a sack of Seth Doege. Okafor is perhaps the single biggest matchup problem in the Big 12. Season stats (nine games): 51 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 16 quarterback hurries, 3 forced fumbles, 1 blocked kick. Player ranking: Okafor is ranked No. 18 overall and is rated as the fourth-best defensive end in CBSSports.com's latest player rankings. Up next: It won't be easy for Okafor to get big numbers again this week facing Iowa State. The Cyclones are 24th in the country in sacks allowed at just 1.33 per game. - Patrick Southern, CBSSports.com

10/23/2012 - BIG 12: NFL DRAFT PROSPECT WATCH - WEEK 8: 3. DE Alex Okafor, 6-5, 265, Texas: Why he has the third spot: Even without the services of fellow rush end Jackson Jeffcoat (who suffered a season-ending injury against Oklahoma), Okafor showed against Baylor he is a force to be reckoned with. He registered a sack of Nick Florence and had eight total tackles -- including five solo efforts, a rather high number for a defensive lineman. Season stats (seven games): 23 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 6 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles, 1 blocked kick. Player ranking: Okafor is ranked No. 36 overall and is rated as the fifth-best defensive end in CBSSports.com's latest player rankings. Up next: Okafor may have another chance to pad his numbers, as the Longhorns travel to Kansas this Saturday. The Jayhawks are 96th in the country in sacks allowed, yielding 2.71 sacks per game. - Patrick Southern, CBSSports.com

10/08/2012 - WEEK 6 BIG 12 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Alex Okafor, Texas, DE, Sr, Pflugerville, Texas...Alex Okafor had two sacks, two forced fumbles, blocked a field goal and had three quarterback pressures in Texas' three-point loss to West Virginia. Prior to the game, the Mountaineers had allowed just four sacks in four games. Okafor's first sack and forced fumble came late in the second quarter and was recovered by Jackson Jeffcoat for a touchdown that knotted the game at 21-all. His second sack came midway through the fourth quarter and gave the Horns the ball at the WVU 12-yard line with 7:37 remaining and the Mountaineers up 41-38. His blocked field goal occurred in the first quarter and kept the game tied at 7-7. - Big 12 football

10/08/2012 - DE Alex Okafor is having a monster senior season. He was constantly in the backfield against West Virginia, recording a pair of sacks and forcing two Geno Smith fumbles, one of which was recovered by fellow defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat for a touchdown.

09/30/2012 - DE Alex Okafor picked up another sack against Oklahoma State and now has four in four games.

09/08/2012 - SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The Longhorns game plan will be very different this week than it was against Wyoming. New Mexico runs a modified triple option that will require the Longhorns to stay disciplined and make the play on the initial hit. "It's going to measure players in terms of their ability to learn and learn concepts on defense. You know, we go from a team last week that lined up with no backs about a third of the game to a team that when the ball is snapped will have three backs in some way, shape or form in the backfield when the ball snaps, so you couldn't be going from one end of the spectrum any further to the other," Texas defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. PLAYERS TO WATCH: DE Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat form one of the best defensive end tandems in the country. They should be able to wreak havoc in the New Mexico backfield this week. - The Sports Xchange

08/30/2012 - Rob Rang's 08/30/12 Top 32 NFL Draft Big Board: 15. Alex Okafor, DE, Texas: Though an arrest in May will certainly give scouts something to question, Okafor's game provides plenty of answers. Okafor doesn't have elite speed off the edge but is powerful, well-schooled in his hand technique and has a high-running motor. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com

08/01/2012 - 2012 PRESEASON TED HENDRICKS AWARD WATCH LIST: ALEX OKAFOR, TEXAS, has been selected a preseason candidate for the 2012 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award. On-field performance, exceptional winning attitude, leadership abilities, contributions to school and community and academic preparedness are some of the criteria used to determine the Award's winner. Okafor is a three-year letterman who has appeared in 39 games on the defensive line, including 21 starts. He was a 2011 AFCA FBS Coaches' All-American and a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection (Coaches). Also in 2011, he was named first team All-Big 12 (AP, Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) and was on the 2011 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award watch list. Okafor transitioned back to full-time defensive end from defensive tackle in spring 2011 and has registered 110 tackles (49 solo), 9.5 sacks, 20 TFL, 36 pressures, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for his career. - Mack Brown Texas football

07/22/2012 - 2012 PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL TEAM (MEDIA): DL Alex Okafor, Texas, Sr/3L,...Okafor is a three-year letterman who has appeared in 39 games on the defensive line, including 21 starts. He was a 2011 AFCA FBS Coaches' All-American and a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection (Coaches). Also in 2011, he was named first team All-Big 12 (AP, Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) and was on the 2011 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award watch list. Okafor transitioned back to full-time defensive end from defensive tackle in spring 2011 and has registered 110 tackles (49 solo), 9.5 sacks, 20 TFL, 36 pressures, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for his career. Last season he started all 13 games, posting 58 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three pass breakups, 17 pressures, two caused fumbles and one fumble recovery. - Mack Brown Texas football

07/20/2012 - 2012 PRESEASON WALTER CAMP PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST: Alex Okafor, senior, DE, Texas, has been named one of of fifty preseason "players to watch" for The Walter Camp Football Foundation 2012 Player of the Year Award, the nation's fourth-oldest individual college football accolade. Okafor is trying to become the third Texas player to win the award and the first since Colt McCoy won back-to-back in 2008-09. Former running back and Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams won the Walter Camp Player of the Year award in 1998. Okafor is a three-year letterman who has appeared in 39 games on the defensive line, including 21 starts. He was a 2011 AFCA FBS Coaches' All-American and a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection (Coaches). Also in 2011, he was named first team All-Big 12 (AP, Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) and was on the 2011 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award watch list. Okafor transitioned back to full-time defensive end from defensive tackle in spring 2011 and has registered 110 tackles (49 solo), 9.5 sacks, 20 TFL, 36 pressures, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for his career. - Mack Brown Texas football

07/20/2012 - 2012 ROTARY LOMBARDI AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas, has been selected to the Preseason Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List for the 2012 college football season, presented the nation's top college lineman or linebacker each year by The Rotary Club of Houston. Okafor is a three-year letterman who has appeared in 39 games on the defensive line, including 21 starts. He was a 2011 AFCA FBS Coaches' All-American and a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection (Coaches). Also in 2011, he was named first team All-Big 12 (AP, Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) and was on the 2011 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award watch list. Okafor transitioned back to full-time defensive end from defensive tackle in spring 2011 and has registered 110 tackles (49 solo), 9.5 sacks, 20 TFL, 36 pressures, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for his career. - Mack Brown Texas football

07/19/2012 - 2012 PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEDIA): Alex Okafor, Texas (DE, 6-4, 260, Sr/3L, Pflugerville, Texas)...Okafor was a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection last season as well as an AFCA All-American. He posted 58 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three pass breakups, 17 pressures, two caused fumbles and one fumble recovery in 2011 after transitioning back to defensive end from defensive tackle. - Big 12 football

07/18/2012 - 2012 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas, has been selected to the Preseason Bronko Nagurski Trophy Award Watch List for the 2012 college football season. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is presented to the National Defensive Player of the Year by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America. Okafor is a three-year letterman who has appeared in 39 games on the defensive line, including 21 starts. He was a 2011 AFCA FBS Coaches' All-American and a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection (Coaches). Also in 2011, he was named first team All-Big 12 (AP, Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) and was on the 2011 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award watch list. Okafor transitioned back to full-time defensive end from defensive tackle in spring 2011 and has registered 110 tackles (49 solo), 9.5 sacks, 20 TFL, 36 pressures, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for his career. Last season he started all 13 games, posting 58 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three pass breakups, 17 pressures, two caused fumbles and one fumble recovery. He is a two-time member of UT's Athletics Director's Honor Roll (Spring 2010/Fall 2010). - Mack Brown Texas football

07/17/2012 - Top-five Texas prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft: 1. DE Alex Okafor...Like many Texas players, Okafor signed as one of the more highly regarded prep prospects in the country and saw immediate playing time, registering 22 tackles, including two tackles for loss and a forced fumble while serving as a backup defensive end and special teamer. Despite his size, Okafor was moved inside to defensive tackle as a sophomore. Although this transition didn't help his stat-line (30 tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, FF), it did force Okafor to improve his strength, hand usage and ability to keep his feet in traffic - skills he used to great effectiveness in a breakout 2011 campaign back at defensive end in which he earned consensus First Team All-Big 12 honors by the league's coaches and an All-American nod by the AFCA with 58 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, eight sacks and two forced fumbles. Okafor is a good athlete capable of improving his sack total in 2012, but his most impressive attribute is his power. Okafor can knock opponents onto their heels on his way to the quarterback and also sets the edge nicely as a run defender. Okafor's ability to make plays against the run and pass makes him arguably the most well-rounded senior defensive end in the country. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com

07/10/2012 - 2012 BEDNARIK AWARD PRESEASON WATCHLIST: Alex Okafor, Texas, DE, Sr., has been selected to the preseason Bednarik Award watchlist for the 2012 college football season. The Bednarik Award has been presented to the nation's top defensive player since 1995. A former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, Chuck Bednarik is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 1969 and the NFL Hall of Fame's Class of 1967. Okafor is a three-year letterman who has appeared in 39 games on the defensive line, including 21 starts. He was a 2011 AFCA FBS Coaches' All-American and a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection (Coaches). Also in 2011, he was named first team All-Big 12 (AP, Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) and was on the 2011 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award watch list. Okafor transitioned back to full-time defensive end from defensive tackle in spring 2011 and has registered 110 tackles (49 solo), 9.5 sacks, 20 TFL, 36 pressures, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for his career. Last season he started all 13 games, posting 58 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three pass breakups, 17 pressures, two caused fumbles and one fumble recovery. - Mack Brown Texas football

06/14/2012 - The three Texas football players arrested earlier this spring for refusing to leave a downtown pizza parlor have had their cases dismissed and will not be suspended for any games, Longhorns coach Mack Brown said Wednesday. Defensive back Kenny Vaccaro, defensive end Alex Okafor and tight end Barrett Matthews, all seniors, were arrested early on May 7 and charged with failure to obey a lawful order, a misdemeanor. Police said they refused to leave the establishment after being told by an officer to do so. Brown said even though the cases were dismissed, the players have faced internal disciplinary measures this summer and are close to completing them. Okafor and Vaccaro are both starters and potential all-conference performers. None of the three will be allowed to speak to the media before fall classes begin. "They will not miss a game, but they're really paying hard for not being respectful to authority figures," Brown said. "I think they've learned some hard lessons." - Mike Finger, San Antonio Express-News

05/15/2012 - 05/14/12 BIG BOARD, BEST FOR 2013: 8. Alex Okafor, DE, Texas: An arrest in May might create some doubt with scouts about Okafor until they've fully investigated his background. But his game provides plenty of answers about who he is on the field. Okafor doesn't possess elite speed off the edge but is powerful, well-schooled in his hand technique and has a high-running motor. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com

05/11/2012 - Texas coach Mack Brown says three football players cited for allegedly refusing to leave an Austin restaurant after a bar incident will face tough discipline within the team. Safety Kenny Vaccaro, defensive end Alex Okafor and tight end Barrett Matthews, all seniors next season, were cited by police early Monday for failure to obey a lawful order, a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine. Speaking at a charity event Thursday night, Brown said the players learned a lesson about leaving when police tell them to. He did not say how they will be disciplined. According to police, the players were denied entrance to a bar, then went to a pizza parlor. They refused to leave after a man complained that another person in their group threatened him. - AP Sports

05/07/2012 - Three Texas football players and a former Longhorns football player were arrested early Monday morning on East Sixth Street, including potential first-round picks in next year's NFL Draft and the only two senior starters on the 'Horns defense -- defensive end Alex Okafor and safety Kenny Vaccaro. Okafor, Vaccaro, and senior tight end Barrett Matthews were charged with failure to obey a lawful order, a misdemeanor, after police were called to a disturbance in downtown Austin at about 1:30 a.m. Monday morning. Eryon Barnett, a junior defensive back who announced his intentions to transfer from Texas last month, was also involved with the incident and was also charged with failure to identify himself. Barnett is currently in a Travis County jail. Both first-team All-Big 12 selections a year ago, Okafor and Vaccaro are defensive stalwarts set to be two of the Longhorns' best players, regardless of position or unit. As a junior, Okafor started every game, racking up 58 tackles, 14 of them for loss, including seven sacks. Meanwhile, Vaccaro, despite impressing professional scouts with an 82-tackle, two-sack, two-interception season, opted to not forego his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft. Many believed that Vaccaro would have been selected in the first or second round. Matthews, who has appeared in 38 games during his first three seasons at Texas, made two catches for nine yards last year. - Christian Corona, The Dallas Morning News

LATEST NEWS

04/25/2013 - ROB RANG'S FINAL 2013 NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD: 44. Alex Okafor, DE, Texas: Due to his time inside at defensive tackle, Okafor uses his hands very well and proved a better than advertised overall athlete at his March 26 Pro Day. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com